Buying a digital piano for your kids - 2 minute read!

Looking for the best digital piano for your kids but don’t know where to start?

This 2 minute read from piano teacher and LCM music examiner, Dr Chris Stanbury, will give you all the answers.

(CDP-S90 Piano shown above with optional CS-46 stand)

How much should it cost?

A good beginner’s digital piano should cost you about £300 - £400. For this, you’ll get a great quality instrument that’ll support your child’s learning for at least 7 years. Avoid cheaper instruments from online sellers as these don’t tend to last and offer a poor quality sound. Invest in something worthwhile and it’ll maintain your kids’ interest and be more enjoyable to play.

What do I need to look for?

The piano needs to have weighted keys that feel like a real piano, so your kids can develop the right finger skills. The keys also need to be touch sensitive and full size, which means that they are the same shape and type as a real piano.

Is a digital piano better than a real piano?

From my experience, it’s very rare to find a good real piano under £1000. You also need to budget for maintenance – you’ll need to have the strings of a real piano tuned two to three times a year at a cost of £80 a time.

You get a lot more for your money with digital pianos. They take up a lot less space, you can store them away when not in use, and they don’t need tuning. Plus, you can plug in headphones for silent practice, which is perfect for busy households!

What other functions do you get with digital pianos?

If your kids love their gadgets, they’ll really enjoy connecting their digital piano to an iPad or a computer using the USB connection. We’ve all seen the ads for iPad apps and music learning games, and being able to use these with a digital piano makes learning a lot more fun.

What digital piano would you recommend?

I love the Casio CDP-S90. It’s light, very compact and has a great sound. Most importantly, it is excellent value for money and my eldest son loves using it with his iPad. Casio provide a free app, called Chordana, and free online lessons too, so you really can start learning right from when you get it delivered.  It also has Casio’s excellent build quality and technical support if you need it.

The CDP-S90 is an excellent first piano for kids.

Weighted Piano Keys: Why They Are Important for a Beginner.

By Daz Thornton at The Piano Vault

When I interview a prospective pupil, it frequently turns out that they don't currently own an acoustic or digital piano. They may have a keyboard, which is better than nothing, but, not really ideal for developing a good piano playing skills.

One of the questions that they ask is "what do you recommend as an instrument to get me started?" Many beginners / beginner's parents in the initial stages of learning are not always willing or able to invest in an instrument that will take them beyond the beginner standard of playing. With this in mind, it is important that I recommend an instrument that is affordable enough for them to decide whether piano playing is for them or not, but more importantly, it needs to be something that will help the pupil experience something of the feel and touch of an acoustic piano. This is where full size weighed keys are an important consideration.

WHAT ARE WEIGHTED KEYS?

Weighted keys are a feature that digital pianos (and some keyboards/portable pianos) include in their design to help mimic the action of an acoustic piano. You can see from the example above that by pressing a key on an acoustic grand piano, a series of mechanical parts are set into motion with the aim of throwing a hammer at the string(s). This creates the familiar sound of a piano and provides a pianist with the level of control that is required to produce an array of expressive possibilities.

WHY ARE WEIGHTED KEYS BETTER FOR BEGINNERS THAN THOSE OF A KEYBOARD?

Weighted keys will bring the beginner pianist closer to that of an acoustic piano, helping them feel the sensitivity required to push down the keys with different levels of control, as opposed to those on most keyboards that are unweighted. Unweighted keys do not provide the resistance that is needed to develop piano playing skills.

To make a good start in developing their piano technique, the learner needs to feel that they are pushing against they key to play a note, and also experience the sensation of the key pushing back up when returning to its resting position. On a larger scale, this is a little like the sensation of being sat on one end of a seesaw.

The unweighted keys that you get on many keyboards, don't provide this sensation, and will result in a pupil practising on an instrument that doesn't resemble the key resistance of an acoustic piano. This often presents them with quite a shock when they start to play for their teacher on a weighted action for instance. The evenness of their playing can be affected due to their fingers not building up the strength to move from one key to another, which in turn will also affect the dynamic level and tone they produce from the instrument.

WHAT SORT OF PIANO WOULD BE GOOD FOR A BEGINNER ON A BUDGET?

For beginners who are on a budget, and/or may be limited for space, they may like to consider an instrument that is portable like a keyboard, but includes the type of weighted action that has been spoken about above.

Many manufacturers offer a beginner 'entry range' of portable, weighted keyed instruments that provide a good basis for building a piano technique. One such instrument (at a very affordable price I might add) is the Casio CDP-S90. See the short video below for an overview:

Casio have also gone to the trouble of designing these weighted keys to have a textured finish, rather than the slippery shiny plastic feel that is often used on keyboards. This adds a feeling of quality to the keys, which is great for an entry level product, as well as providing an element of grip whilst playing.

Whilst trying out this instrument, I asked a young pupil of mine (who currently owns an unweighted keyboard) what her first impressions were of these weighted keys. She answered by saying that the keys on her keyboard were "easier to push down". I then explained to her mother that she shouldn't be fooled by her usage of the word "easy". Just because there is very little resistance when pushing down on an unweighted keyboard, it doesn't mean that it will be of any benefit to her playing or in developing a good sense of control at the piano. In other words, don't associate the word 'easy' with the word 'beneficial' It would be like going to the gym and handing someone a really light dumbbell. They may be "easy" to lift, but that is not going to help in developing muscles. It is the weight and the resistance of the keys on an instrument like the Casio CDP-S90 that will help a beginner develop the finger control they need as a piano player.

WHAT TO TAKE AWAY

It may be tempting as a beginner to go for a cheaper keyboard over something a little more substantial in the early stages of learning. What usually ends up happening though, is that a player will soon need to upgrade to an instrument that will take them further than a simple keyboard with unweighted keys can achieve. With this being the case, I would advise that you invest a little more in providing something that offers what they need to start them on their musical journey from the very start of their piano lessons, for all the reasons I have listed above.

A portable beginners piano such as the Casio CDP-S90 would be a good choice here, and, will not break the bank at approx £325. Just for the key action alone, this price is fantastic!

Find out more about the Casio CDP-S90 here:

www.casio.co.uk/cdp-s90

Get playing and stay motivated with CASIO and Rockschool!

So, you're thinking of buying a new piano or keyboard. Imagine it’s unwrapped, out of the box and switched on. You’re ready to go, but how do you know where to start? Wouldn’t it be great if your new instrument came with some music that actually made you want to play and, more importantly, inspire you to keep practising and learning? 

With selected models of Casio keyboards and pianos, that's exactly what happens. Their new collaboration with Rockschool, one of the UK’s leading music exam boards for Rock and Pop music, has produced a free downloadable digital sheet music book that starts you playing some of your favourite pop songs straight away. Forget having to begin your keyboard journey with dry technical exercises or tunes that you don't recognise: for the first time, you can begin by playing songs that everybody knows and loves, which means it's much more likely that you'll carry on playing. 

Not only are there some great arrangements of songs by Sam Smith, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams, but the backing tracks to each song are included as well. This means that you can hear the drums,  bass and other parts of the song as you play the keyboard.

This is such an inspirational feature, as you’re no longer practising ‘on you own’ and instead have a whole band to accompany you each time you play .

Every arrangement is produced by some of the UK’s top educators at Rockschool, which means the challenges and musical techniques used are cleverly designed to inspire but not frustrate beginning players. The music is easy to follow, the presentation looks great and every piece offers an exciting challenge which keeps you coming back for more. Having a structured, properly-designed series of pieces is so much better for learning than struggling with YouTube videos, which are often over complex and not always straightforward. What’s more, you can even use these songs in a Rockschool music exam if you wish.

Whatever style of pop music you’re into, you’ll find something of interest in the downloadable pack, which is included with selected models of Casio keyboard and piano*. There’s a variety of styles on offer together with some specially-commissioned original pieces written by the Rockschool team.

If you’re thinking of buying a keyboard or piano for you or someone in the family, but have been put off because you worry they won’t stick to it, it’s definitely worth giving a Rockschool-powered Casio instrument a go. As any music teacher will tell you, music practice should be fun and inspirational, and this new downloadable pack does just that.

 Products that include this FREE download are:

Keyboards:

CT-S300
CTK-3500, CTK-7200
LK-265, LK-S250
CT-X700, CT-X3000, CT-X5000

Digital Pianos:

CDP-S100, CDP-S150, CDP-S350, CDP-230
PX-S1000

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PX-S1000 wins 2020 iF Design Award

After three days of intensive discussion, product testing and examination, 78 of the world’s leading independent experts gathered at the recent iF Design Awards in Hamburg to award prizes for excellence in product design.

Amongst the winners, the world’s slimmest digital piano*: the Casio PX-S1000.

First awarded in 1953, the coveted iF DESIGN AWARD is the oldest independent design seal in the world. It is a symbol of outstanding achievement that focuses on the innovative power of design.

The Casio PX-S1000 portable digital piano was one of the very few musical instruments that were selected from over 7000 products from 58 countries in the world.

The iF website says “the Casio PX-S1000 fits in beautifully with modern space-saving lifestyles. The newly-developed compact hammer action keyboard and mirror-touch console make it the slimmest piano on the market in a simply beautiful form factor.”

As the world’s slimmest digital piano*, the PX-S1000 blends in with any living environment while requiring minimal space. The instrument’s excellent sound quality can be enjoyed anywhere thanks to built-in speakers, dedicated stereo outputs and incredibly light weight (11.2kg). Moreover, because it is battery operated it can be quickly installed in any location or used to practise while traveling. Being Bluetooth-compatible it can be easily connected to home audio systems.

The PX-S1000 is available in Black, Red or White colour finishes.

Until March 31st 2020, every purchase of a PX-S1000 includes a FREE SP-20 sustain pedal and Pioneer headphones worth £69.

Further details are available from your nearest retailer.

*Out of all digital pianos with 88 weighted keys and built-in speakers. Survey conducted by Casio UK in 2019.

EXPLORE THE PX-S RANGE

COMPATIBLE ACCESSORIES

THE STYLISH AND SMART SERIES - EPISODE 4

By RVBY

I’d like to look at two aspects of Smart and Stylish that I think have played a key part in my journey. Being a singer-songwriter, Smart and Stylish has some very powerful meanings and something which has resonated with me throughout my musical journey. When I started out, country music was my passion (and will always be), but I had to make a choice and I chose to pursue a career in pop music which could relate to more people. I’ve not looked back since. 

With my music, I’ve had to find smart ways to infuse hooks with rhythm whilst also telling my story in a magical way - I absolutely love it when that perfect blend of all three come together! I also think it’s super important to get involved with the production side of things and make sure you soak everything up to allow you to flourish and enjoy all elements of being an artist. It’s hard to find a way that works with all the producers you meet but I’m extremely lucky that I’ve found Toby Scott (producer of Hanging On and Wildfire). We really connect when it comes to forming a track and we’ve both known where it needs to go every time so far.

When I’m on stage I get this feeling that I’ll never want to do anything else. I love it when people are engaged, I love feeling like I’m being heard. That’s not to say everybody is always listening, but as an artist you have to perform like they are every time. 

I equally love the writing side of music. Going into a session with my head full of emotion which will be poured into something people can dance to, is therapy for me. It’s something I feel is super important in my music and I’m glad it is being embraced on a greater level.

Style wise - growing up, some of my biggest musical influences were Stevie Nicks, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. They all have an amazing sense of style manifested through their fashion and also their effortless poise - particularly in the way they carry themselves as amazing women. I have so much respect for them. Today, I’m finding similar inspiration from artists such as Dua Lipa, Sigrid and Aurora. These incredible artists are carrying the 'Stylish and Smart’ torch and I’m very much ready to do the same. 

I’ve always expressed myself through my look. If I find that I’m frustrated or heading into this hole where I do stop believing.. and it happens a lot... I’ll change up my look entirely.  This used to be a difficult thing in terms of branding, however I think people have accepted this is part of everything when it comes to music now. People have accepted that I’ll never stop dying my hair because it’s something so much deeper for me when it comes to self expression.

My new single Wildfire is a story of love and heartbreak but it’s got this strength to it. I remember going into the studio and telling Toby what I wanted to write about. I tiptoed around the fact I was in love with somebody who’s heart belonged to someone else. He told me to say exactly that and to not hold back. Now I see the song as my inner alter ego. It’s a strong anthem reflecting upon my head and heart!

Another passion point for me where Smart and Stylish really strikes a cord with me, is art. Since I can remember I’ve been illustrating and painting characters, of which most of the time are mythical and somewhat weird. With my latest music release I was in need of finding myself again which meant going back to this zone of creativity where things used to flow. This for me is where being smart comes into. Tapping into something which is really important for me, and being smart to think that I should start from a place of meaning - art. I created a stop-motion animated video to my new song Wildfire. It was a gamble but thankfully, my label Funnel Music, loved it and thought it was a clever way to offer my fans a deeper understanding of the inner me.

I’ve never felt more fulfilled with something I’ve released before in a sense that it’s truly showing people who I am. This for me is what being Smart and Stylish is all about. Being able to express yourself in a way that’s truly authentic. 

Whether it’s me being a performer or a songwriter, I am so lucky to have this rollercoaster career in something I love. For that I have to thank the people around me who have given me so much freedom even when it’s been choices that could go one of two ways. 

If you can stay true to yourself while doing something which requires so many opinions from other people then I think you’ll be just fine. I am doing something I love, sometimes I’ll wonder if it’s making me happy or if the likes of social media are making me resent this dream that I have. But then I always say to myself that I’d rather be on the t-shirt than wear it - this for me is being Smart and Stylish.

Follow RVBY and check out her new single Wildfire here.

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Introducing the Dream Team: Did you know these artists play Casio?

Casio is proud to announce US Keyboard artist Brittani Washington as worldwide brand ambassador for the world’s slimmest digital piano, the PX-S Privia. Brittani joins a highly-acclaimed team of young global artists that choose to perform on Casio’s pioneering digital instruments. 

Brittani Washington

Plays Casio PX-S Privia

For the last six years, the 34-year old keyboard player from Houston, Texas has toured the world with Beyoncé, one of the most successful music artists of her generation.

Brittani’s creative talents can also be heard on tracks by many other headline artists such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez and CeeLo Green (Gnarls Barkley).

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Cory Henry

Plays Casio CT-X

A former member of US band Snarky Puppy, Cory Henry has established himself as one of the world’s leading young contemporary musicians, crafting a unique style that merges soul and jazz music. His first solo album First Steps peaked at number 5 in the US jazz charts, whilst the eagerly anticipated sequel The Revival peaked at number 2 in 2016. 

Click here to see Cory Henry play Casio CT-X

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Laura Mvula

Plays Casio Grand Hybrid

Since her 2013 album Sing to the Moon reached the UK top ten, British artist Laura Mvula hasn’t looked back. Her natural ability to combine heartfelt melodies with memorable lyrics has seen her work used for television and nominated for many awards, including MOBO Best R&B/Soul Act (2013), an Ivor Novello album award (2017) and Jazz FM Soul Artist of the Year (2017). 

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Reuben James

Plays Casio PX-S Privia and CT-X

Recently described by The Times as “Britain’s best young jazz pianist”, Reuben can be seen playing in top venues such as Ronnie Scott’s in London, the Jazz Cafe and Birmingham’s Symphony Hall to name but a few. Reuben has also an on-going collaboration with Sam Smith, writing the title track for Smith’s most recent album “The Thrill of It All”. 

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Jodie Abacus

Plays Casio PX-S Privia

Born in Lewisham, South London, Jodie’s big break came from uploading his first song, I’ll Be That Friendto his Soundcloud channel in 2013. The song topped the Hype Machine charts and amassed over 100,000 plays. A signing with Household Records / Ministry of Sound followed, which pushed the young artist’s music to worldwide audiences including radio play on BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 and 1Xtra. Jodie has supported artists such as Usher and Corrine Bailey Rae at major festivals across the UK, including Glastonbury, the V Festival, Lovebox and Parklife. 

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Want to hear more? Check out our playlist.

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See the Instruments

Finding your voice: Casio proudly support emerging artists.

Casio Music UK is proud to support emerging artists with products that focus on creativity, innovation and value for money.

In a recent 2019 London Live documentary, you’ll have seen Casio’s brand new PX-S and Grand Hybrid pianos selected as the instruments of choice amongst young London musicians.

PX-S Stage Pianos

Battery powered, lightweight and stage-ready, this brand new range of instruments are the world’s slimmest digital pianos. If you’re wondering which stage piano to buy for 2019, or what makes these instruments some of the lightest stage pianos around you should check out Casio’s Portable Piano range.

Grand Hybrid Pianos

Featuring a revolutionary wooden key design produced in collaboration with C. Bechstein, the new award-winning Grand Hybrid series redefines how close a digital piano’s touch and sound can be to an authentic concert grand piano. You’ll even find a real moving hammer action, to provide an incredibly realistic key feel.

Music Education The SoundSkool Way

As the Founder & CEO of SoundSkool (established 2008) it feels like I have lots of opinions and relevant experiences surrounding music education that I would like to share.  These opinions are very personal to me and also to SoundSkool’s MD Connie Abbe who has been working alongside me from the beginning!

SoundSkool Music Industry College and Community is here to change young musician’s experience of education. Through our authentic holistic approach we provide a safe nurturing professional environment for students to thrive and succeed at something they love doing.  All of our music courses are FREE and full time for 16-19 year olds and students can study either Music Production or Music Performance at Level 2 or 3.  Students that did not achieve grade 4 or above in either maths and/or English are also able to complete these GCSEs or Functional Skills alongside their music qualifications.  

Our college courses provide a unique insight into the music industry and students currently study from two separate sites as we are official partners with WAC Arts College and the Roundhouse in London. Students have a rich music programme including; music industry masterclasses, 60 hours of music industry work experience, musicianship lessons, industry trips, music showcases and auditions with key music industry professionals.

My own route to helping ‘change young people’s lives through music…’ (SoundSkool’s mission) was born from my own personal experiences at school and college, and growing up on one of London’s notorious council estates in North West London as a young DJ/producer.  The journey for me is definitely a spiritual one and one that I will continue to fight for and champion until we establish and succeed in getting young musicians all that they deserve and need.

Unfortunately, as you will be reading in the news, funding nationwide has been cut cut cut, which obviously, as you can imagine, has a huge effect on what we at SoundSkool are able to provide without sufficient funding.  The issue of underfunding therefore means that this responsibility of educating and supporting the next generation of UK Music Artists/Producers/Musicians/Professionals falls on our own, personal, shoulders.  Our amazing team of dedicated staff all work at SoundSkool because of all the reasons above and together we create miracles, we literally do change young people’s lives through music!

In my own personal opinion around 35% of all young people from the UK just do not fit into the educational systems (square peg-round hole) and I personally am here to provide an alternative route through education into the music industry.  Typically, but not exclusively, our talented students come from BAME backgrounds, low income families and have not had positive experiences at school/college and often, sadly, at home.

Through years of working directly with young people the common threads that we face daily are issues ranging from; mental health, family problems, money troubles, relationships, trauma and gang/knife fear.

As I have mentioned the lack of funding has also massively impacted our ability to deliver the pastoral side of education, which would have allowed us to support further in these areas, enabling us to fund this hugely needed additional layer of support, that is under threat but that we continue to provide, in order for students to engage and achieve at college.

So moving on to what is happening next - We are all really excited to have just completed filming with Casio Music UK for their 40th Birthday which will be aired on London Live TV at 7.30pm on Tuesday 14th of October 2019.  You will see myself on the documentary and more importantly two of our amazingly talented Alumni students Luena and Gabriella. I hope you enjoy!

Finally another huge huge thanks to Casio Music UK who have actually provided SoundSkool with 10 of their brand new Casio Keyboards for our students and I am really looking forward to our new plans together for 2020. WATCH THIS SPACE!